How to use and maintain a flexographic printing press machine?

Proper storage of flexographic plates plays a vital role in achieving high-quality flexographic printing. Therefore, the following points should be noted during daily storage:

(1) Store in a place without sunlight and UV lamps;

(2) The ambient temperature should be controlled at 5℃～35℃;

(3) After printing, the ink on the surface of the plate should be cleaned as soon as possible and fully dried;

(4) Plates should not be stacked (plates should be separated by paper or buffer materials);

(5) The storage room should be well ventilated;

(6) Use a cleaning agent that will not swell the resin;

(7) If you are unsure of the characteristics of the cleaning agent, you can consult the suppliers of each plate.

Because the softness of flexographic plates is different from that of resin relief plates and offset plates, higher printing pressure or hard rubbing of the plates will cause damage to the plates. Therefore, during and after printing, the plates should be cleaned to avoid damage to the plates.

We know that water-based ink and solvent-based ink will dry and solidify after long-term placement after printing. Once solidified, the ink is difficult to dissolve, and strong wiping and cleaning will cause damage to the plate. Therefore, after printing, the plate should be cleaned and fully dried before the ink solidifies, and then placed in a well-ventilated place for storage. Avoid using strong solvents that swell the plate to remove the solidified ink and damage the plate. Appropriate plate washing time and storage environment can extend the service life of the printing plate and reduce the cost waste caused by plate repair.

Flexographic printing uses "kiss-touch" printing pressure (don't be too heavy after cutting, it is very heavy and tight, and the plate will be crushed quickly under great friction), which can print high-quality prints like gravure and offset printing. Excessive printing pressure will darken the color of the printed product, wear the plate and cause re-plate making, resulting in unnecessary cost waste. In short, correctly understanding the characteristics of flexographic printing, using good quality management methods, and being familiar with the storage environment conditions of the printing plate can extend the service life of the plate, give full play to the advantages of flexographic printing, and print high-quality prints.